1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a blind mating electrical connector having an improved polarization means.
2. Description of Prior Art
Generally, many electrical connector assemblies include mateable male and female connectors. For preventing the connectors from being mated in an incorrect orientation, having a polarizing system in an electrical connector assembly is essential to ensure correct mating between the male and the female connectors. Some prior art connector assemblies have blind mating projections having different structures on one connector and complementary receptacles or apertures in the other connector for engaging with corresponding projections in order to polarization.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,390 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,171 each disclose such an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector assembly includes first and second connector mated with each other. The first connector has a pair of first and second polarizing posts projecting from two opposite ends thereof and having different configurations. The second connector defines an elongated polarizing receptacle extending longitudinally and the receptacle includes first and second ends which are different in structure. The first end of the receptacle of the second connector is dimensioned to receive the first polarizing post of the first connector, while the second end of the receptacle of the second connector is dimensioned to receive the second polarizing post of the first connector. The first end of the receptacle of the second connector is too small to receive the second polarizing post of the first connector, so the first connector and the second connector are mated only in a given orientation. Although the electrical connector assembly solve a blind mating problem, it is no doubt that the polarizing means having the polarizing posts increases the whole length of the electrical connector since the polarizing posts are disposed at opposite outer ends of a mating portion of the first connector, thereby making against the miniaturized development of the electrical connector.
Hence, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector having an improved polarization means to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior arts.